Aftermath
by sturmaffe
Summary: it's been a few months scince nigel left, but it's also been a few years. Abbey has been taken into the teenz program but her friends have not. this is in part her reminicance of something that happened long ago, and may happen again. Rated T for violence


**A**ffection

**A**ffection

**F**inally

**T**riumphs

**E**ven

**R**eally

**M**ature

**A**nd

**T**roubled

**H**earts

**F.Y.I.**

Okay the title I am super proud of. Even though it took me only like 5 minuets I still love it! So I should explain that this is something I'm doing just cause I cant get it out of my head. I have a story, a real story I'm working on! Like a serious book trilogy! So I won't be ubdating often and it might come to a point when I just say "TO HELL WITH THIS!!" and focus on my real story. Just be ready in case I do snap!

**Disclaimer:**I do not now, nor have I ever, owned anything having to do with, related to, or remotely like the KND! Just thought you should know!

**Outline**

The flash back is set not long after Nigel left the normal KND. Like say six months or so, and everything has gotten back to normal. Good riddance I say, I never liked him! Sorry but it's true, he was annoying. This is my personal opinion I'm sure yours are just as valid however this is my story so just bare with them. There will be some slight #3/#4 in this okay! I do like the paring a lot but not as much as 5 and 2. so basically what's happening in this flash back is number #5 is about 16 and she is remembering a time when one of the delightful children's plans went horribly wrong. It was a start of a closer friendship with number 2. However before their love could bloom they both turned 13. Abbey was inducted into the teenz program, but the rest of them were not. Abbey remained close to kookie for a year ( I mean physically close not emotionally. Seriously abbey like stalked her subtely) allowing there friendship to bloom again. And since nothing can brake the bond of love kookie and wally eventually got together. Enough of that, its….._**Flash back time!! WOOOOOOOOOT!!**_ Everyone got their flashback hats on? Yes? Okay cool!! Lets goooooo…..

"Are you done yet?" yelled #5 angrily as she togged yet another bowling ball.

The round projectile smacked hard into the wood floor only inches away from where her body had just been.

"Yes sir…mam…sir?" mumbled #2 incrediously. He was on the under side of the very machine that was so readily hurling bowling balls at his friends. It was of course manned by the Delightful children from down the lane. #2's job was to disarm the weapon and then rewire it for comic results. He sighed " Man it was easier with number one, you just had to call him number One."

"Just Call #5 number 5, and hurry up will ya ?" she shouted back, dogging to the right as another projectile wizzed past her head.

"Aw man, the delightful dorks are getting serious." She added under her breath, dogging back to the right "this could hurt somebody"

"I'm try'n but this thing is pretty complex. They must have forced some computer nerds to wire it for them."

"Very astute Hoggie, we did just that. Don't you just love the result? And after we finish with you, we will take our cannon baler too you're pathetic moon base." cackled the conjoined voices of the Knd's arch enemies. "how do you think you're friend's faces will look wile their being sucked out into space!?"

"Just cause you lot got some nerds to do your dirty work doesn't mean you're any smarter! We're still gonna kick your cruddy butts and be home in time for dinner!" laughed # 4 as he sent a large number of beach balls flying at their heads.

They ducked then turned their oversized gun in his a #3 direction. Kookie responded by knocking most of the balls off course with her own teddy bear launcher. Numbers 3,4, were merely a distraction. If they could keep the children from down the lane's attentions on them, then # 2 could easily disarm the machine.

#5 however was the defense. It was her job to keep the knight goons off #2 but so far most of what she ( and the knights) had been doing was dodging.

Unfortunately, now that the gun wasn't aimed at them any more the knights had free range to attack. Forcing #5 to focus all her martial arts skill on the three advancing knights. All flow of conversation temporarily ceased, that is until there was triumphant shout of glee from #2.

"I did it! Hey, number 5 I did it!!" he shouted bouncing excitedly up and down.

Oh he had done it all right, the machine started to spin madly left and right (tossing the 5 delightful children from it unharmed). After it had ceased it's mad rotation it started to violently shake and then shoot of small parts at random.

"oh crud, everybody get out!!" shouted # 5 franticly ducking the flying gears. She needen't have shouted for #3 and #4 were already out the door and down the hallway.

As she started to follow them she heard a panicked scream from behind her. "Number 5, number 5 I'm stuck! OH MAN, Help me!!"

She spun on her heal, momentarily hesitated looking back at the open door, then sighed and ran to her friends side. Sure enough his foot had become tangled in the exposed wires of the machinery.

"How the…" she inquired exasperatedly, tugging on his trapped foot.

"I don't know okay, I looked down and all of a sudden here I was! Just help me okay!! I don't want to die!!" he yelled pulling at her sleeve desperately.

"you're not gonna die you idiot!! You'll be fine!" she shouted back, but was he? She couldn't help but notice that the machine was throwing bigger and bigger parts more forcefully.

"crud, this is really bad!" she mumbled, untangling yet another wire from his shoe. She was barely half done.

A few more seconds ticked by and they were still making very little progress. Now she was getting scarred, franticly she started tearing at the wires but it wasn't working. They were super glued in.

"Please, please don't leave me!" stuttered #2 feebily staring pleadingly into her eyes.

"#5's not going to, don't worry just… there!!" she shouted triumphantly untangling the last cord.

"C'mmon, lets get outta here." shouted #2 dragging his foot hurriedly out of the mess.

Number 5 wached him go for a moment, utterly annoyed and slightly bemused. "you're welcome." She muttered under her breath. Then she was up and running only a few steps behind him.

They rushed full speed down the steps of the machine's base, across the room, and towards the door.

Moments before they crossed the threshold however, the machine gave a final heave and broke apart. The resulting explosion sent it's pieces hurtling in all directions. At the sound #5 pivoted on her heal in time to see a large chunk of the machine was heading directly at them. Actually, directly at #2 to be exact. Before she could think #5 had thrown herself full force at #2 knocking him out of it's path.

The equipment grazed his head knocking him, momentarily out cold. Yet the push number 5 had given him had saved him from any lasting harm. Yes there would be some discomfort once he awoke, however for the most part he would be fine. She, would not be so lucky.

She lay up against the wall, her legs trapped under a heavy sheet of metal. This was not the worst of it though, for a long skinny pole was protruding from her stomach. It had impaled her as she had flown through the air, propelled by the shrapnel, and then stuck in the wall behind her. She was barely alive, barely breathing, and a line of blood was trickling down from her mouth. Most unfortunately she was awake, though she would not remain so for long. The unbearable pain in her legs and stomach, mixed with the concussion she had gotten on impact with the wall. Her eye sight began to flicker as she mumbled one final word "H…Hogie?" and then her head drooped onto her shoulders and she was still.

For a moment or so, all was calm. Dust was beginning to settle and neither of then fallen moved. Then Hogie began to stir, he let out a gasp of pain and smacked a hand to his bleeding head.

"crud, crud, CRUD! Man that hurt!" he mumbled slowly rising to his feet. As his consciousness returned he surveyed the damage around him. "man we really did a _number_ on the place, didn't we _number_ 5? Eh get it number 5? Get it? Number 5? Uh where are…" his eyes scanned the ground around him. He got down onto his knees for a better look at the area around the ruins of twisted metal and wires. Something caught his eye and slowly but surely his eyes rose to her bloody deathly still form.

At first he couldn't take it all in. it was too much for his brain to processes all at once. He could see her, but he couldn't acknowledge the damage that had been done too her, then the gears began to click into place

"no. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO, please NO!! #5, abbey!! Please wake up, please!!" he shouted at her blood stained body. His voice shook in panic, he knew she couldn't respond but it didn't make sense. How could this be happening? She had to be all right she just had to! He shut his eyes tight in some desperate belief that once he opened them agian she be fine. She would laugh and jump down beside him, hit over the head as he made some stupid joke. In fact his imagination was so vivid, and his need so deep that when he opened his eyes he actually believed it would happen. But when a minuet had passed and she still hadn't stirred he began to weep.

"No please don't be dead, please! I'm coming to get you, I'll save you." It was as if he believed that somehow she would guide him, or at least respond. For he spoke to her as if she was conscious. He took a deep breath and spoke again "I won't let you leave me, you promised!"

Desperately he scrambled over the wreckage of the bowling ball gun. Slipping and sliding, loosing his balance with every step he took. All the while screaming for her sake, but she could not hear him. Finally, when he had reached her he didn't know what to do. For a moment he just stared at her cut and bleeding body, repulsed and horrified. Then he tugged her desperately off the bloodied pole, laying her gently up against the cold wall (for her legs were still trapped). There was another long moment where he just stared before realizing he should check for a pulse. Panictly he bent down by her side and pressed two trembling fingers to her neck.

At first he felt nothing, then there it was faint, but still there. Tears of relief flowed down his face, as deep racking sobs shook his body. He tugged and strained with all his might and the heavy piece of metal crushing her legs. Then with a grinding screech he pulled it off. Her legs were at an odd angle, cut and twisted. They were obviously broken. He felt sick, like he wanted to scream and retch, and cry all at once. But he couldn't, words escaped him.

Careful to support her neck he slipped his trembling arms under her body, and with great difficulty pulled her to his chest. As he slipped off the pile of trash he started to run, or at least walk as quickly as he could (for he was small, and she heavy) down the deserted hallway. In a moment they were out of the dust and rubble filled house and into the fresh warm summer air.

He heard an angry shout come from around the side of the building "hey, where were you!" came #4's voice as he came running towards them "we were starting to get worried! Where's number 5? Where's?" for #2's back had been turned to him, his prodigious girth masking her from view.

As he slowly turned to show her limp body, tears still flowing down his cheeks he saw #4's face register the same horror as his.

"No" he whispered his lips quivering.

He was quickly followed by a skipping #3, a broad unshakable smile on her face. "Oh there you are sillies….#5? wa…what? Abbey? Abbey NOOOO!" she screamed rushing forward past #4 who had sunken to his knees.

She began to violently shake the limp body in 2's arms, hopping to revive her from this state. He was too weak to stop her, all he could do was watch with pity and fear as #3 sunk a sobbing face into #5's quivering chest.

"stop…stop it number 3, we have to help her…" he stuttered angrily. He had lost his patients with them, they weren't helping her or him. He, no she needed them now more than ever and all they were doing was crying."She…she's alive. Bu…but I don't Know for how long." Stuttered #2, his entire body was shaking along with his lips. "we, we've got to get her to moon base Clinic. We we've got to."

Suddenly snapping out of his petrified trance #4 ran toward the S.c.h.o.o.l. B.u.s. intent on brining it round. In a few seconds he had returned stopping just short of where they stood.

#2 felt #5 being dragged from his arms, and looked down as he pulled her closer to him. #3 was attempting to relive him of her care. Apparently she had come to her senses at last. "p…please hoagie, you…we need you to drive." She mumbled, her cheeks red from tears. He could not reply, his voice caught in his throat but instead gave a curt nod and allowed her to be pulled away.

Most of it was a blurr from then on. All he could remember was he somehow got the B.U.S. up and out of the atmosphere. He didn't know how he did it, for he was in a trance like daze of fear. He did remember hear the tearing of fabric as number 3 fashioned a bandage out of one of her sleeves. He also remembered hear a seat rocking back and forth as #4 clutched his knees to his chest and shook his head desperately in disbelief.

The next thing he knew however they were only meters from the rarely used emergency landing zone. He slammed hard on the brakes causing them to go into a dramatic skid, nearly taking out several disgruntled workers. Their angry shout became horrified gasps and screams as the stretcher baring her mangled body was rushed out and into the waiting room.

As sector V's remaining numbers ran along side the stretcher hospital workers burs forth from the doors and wrestled it from #2's tightly clenched hands. In a moment they had pulled her through the door and out of sight. A small group of nurses was forcing him into a seat and attempting to bandage his head.

"no, no I need too… I need" he shouted angrily as he was shoved forcefully down.

"What you need is to let these nurses and doctors do there work!" came a voice from behind him. It had a thick Scottish accent, and although it was firm he could tell it was slightly warbling. "And (it continued in a kinder note) to let them dress you're wound. There's nothing you can do now, she's in good hands. Please the best way you can help her is by telling me how this happened." The speaker was as you may have guessed none other than number 83. She strode across the room and gave him a piercing glare.

He slumped back into his seat and allowed them to tend to his wounds. #3 and were already seated, #4 taking the same position as he had back on the bus. #83 smiled, yes she actually smiled, "thank you. Now please, can you tell me what happened?"

He just stared determinedly strait ahead at the swinging double doors through which she had passed. As if by doing so, she would appear back through them wholly alive and well with a sly smile on her face. As he was not responsive #83 turned toward #3. "can you tell me Kookie?"

Kookie nodded slightly, "I know a little." She proceeded to tell the story, or at least what she knew of it, up to when they run from the building. "Then there was this big boom and we looked around and number 5 and number 2 weren't there…"

"so," said number 83 interupting her. Her gaze turned to the still silently staring number #2 "I guess that means you've got to tell me what happened after all."

"w…will it help her?" he asked his voice quavering.

"I think so yes." Said number 83 with a nod, there was a kindness behind her voice.

"Okay," he said quietly, taking a deep shuddering breath and began "my foot got stuck in the wiring. I don't know how it did, but I was s…stuck and she stayed too…too help me." He mumbled his voice wavering.

"Go on." #83 encouraged him.

"it took a long time but she got me free. I…I asked her to help me, to stay with me. I told her I didn't want to die. She said I'd be fine, that she wouldn't…wouldn't leave me." his eyes were once again focused determinedly on the door. "Then when we were running it blew up, and I guess… I guess some pieces were coming at us because I felt her push me." at this his eyes opened wide in recognition. She had saved him twice within the same hour. "she… she must have pushed me out of it's way because I felt it kinda hit my head. I got knocked out. When I woke up I didn't realize what had happened so I made…a really stupid joke. A stupid, stupid joke. She was dying and I made a joke.( he gave a pause, inwardly berating himself for his iddiocy) And then I saw her, her legs were under a heavy piece of metal and a pole…"

Hot tears flowed freely down his red face, and for a moment he couldn't speak. "There was a pole sticking out of her stomach and she was bleeding and, and." He found himself unable to speak, the words caught in his throat. He merely shook his head unable to continue.

#3 gave a shuddering sob and grasped her hands to her mouth. She couldn't bar e to think of #5's limp body hanging from that pole. She felt a hand reach cautiously around her back then pull her into a tight, but comforting embrace. #4 was like wise crying, but he was doing his best to be there for her.

"y…yes well, I think that's all we need for now thank you #'s 2 and 3. I…uh…I shall file a report immediately." Said 83, in a very serious and business like tone. She had turned so that she was facing away from them with her hands folded in the crest of her back. Her voice changed, it became softer, quieter, kinder. "I shall assign someone to notify her family, and if you need anything tell the nurse on duty. One more thing…call me if…when, she wakes up." With that 83 left them to their silent vigil. Now that #2 had time to think, he couldn't help but wonder… had those been tears on 83's face?

Omgz what will happen? Will she survive? Were those tears on 83's face? If this is #5's flash back why is she seeing things from #2's point of view? All the questions shall be answered in the next installment of…. _**Tales of Interest!! **_**R&R please!!**


End file.
